The National tribune., 1887-07-14
THE GIRLS IN BLACK.

THE GIRLS IN BLACK.
DEAR BOYS IN BLUE: As l sit In my little
pine shaniy on the claim" at the midnight hour
listening to the fierce bowling winds which will n,i
Jet me sleep, but insist coming in through every
crack and crevice. laden with the beautiful snow
! have been wondering II Uncle Sam aud his boys
in blue know or care what hard battles are being
fought upon these broad praiTies and elsewhere by
some OF the girls ma black who's, chosen companion.
have been discharged from earthly duties aud await
promotion In the world beyond.
Small pensions aud bouniies by thousands have
been given To certain CLASSES, magnificent funds
shd larger pensions have been set apart for other
families suddenly bereft. while small fortunes are
appropriated To erect marble reminders of the fallen
heroes-all OF which il well; but there is another
clahs VINO seem To be forgotten i speak of those
who cheerfnlly laid down their own work aud gave
three or four years Of their early manhood 10 their
country la her time of need, yet were 30 unfortu-
nate % ~ To come home with sound bodies and
with their meager savings begin their bu.iu.ss
again with everything at war prices only 10 re-
eelNe another backsei 10y the financial crash that
followed. Many such have fallen and will. their
names are not ON the list of ilusirous leaders 10
be known aud read Of all men aud 10 be praised la
story song and marble, yet the clean records show
they acted well their parts on the battlefield and
IA the homes they left they were rs highly prized
ana are ar deeply mourned as those for whom tic
We cannot claim and prove that the service NJ
our loved ones cut short their lives but we camel
Ian 10 see thai the same years spent ia business AT
home would have secured "a com potency for a. and
our little ones as IL did for our less patriotic neyh
bors. did BAY we had been forgottenP Fxcnse
tue ihousit, dear bONsl How 4 forget that
Uncle sam has given "A fsrmH How can any
woman, who has had the courage Co leave her old
friends, the grave Of her companion the scenes OF
better, happier days and Tneyed 10 the far We.t
To secure ioothod for herself aud children forget
The glfi Tor which she cameH IL days OF toll and
nights Of thinking and planning for the next dol
lar; u long Jobs and short pay; IL short Jobs and
no pay; ~ cheap commodities at high rrices. IN
winter living Ia Summer houses; IL burning The
midnight oil aud midnight coal 20 keen the chit
dren warm while they sleep, have a tendency 10
make one remember, then we should NOT forye,
", alter spending from two To five years OF such
lie, and stu waiting patiently for o. 5 10 send
us The deed To our home. We learn that tie yenrr-
able old man Il la school under some noted Re-
formers" who are teaching him that his farms are
mol 10 be given To the poor; that those who have
TO toll among more fortunate neighborz in ex.
change Tor their daily bread aud means for making
Their scanly improvements are " fraudulent claim
holders and must Tclinquish ia favor of &" honest
settlers, then, again, reminded of our
precious gift.
u. boysi This Is the unkindest cut OF ALL Can
You not, VIII you not, for the sake Of your fallen
comrades speak 10 the dear old uncle. Ina our he
hall, and beg him not TO be "Teformed"?
Because we must live la "A 10 by ~ shautv cov
cred with taxpayer aud banked with sod use The
cheapest OF furniture and the plainest food In Or
DER To have one spot ON earth To call home be-
cause we must go from place Ia place and perform
All KINDS oil hard labor 90 maintain even such a
nome, must we he turned from this and see a
pass INTO the hands of some one who is able 10 cul
uyaie broad fields and erect slightly dwellings n,